THE Vale council should delay town centre car parking charges in Barry until they agree a start date with local shop owners, say Plaid Cymru.

The council has launched a consultation on Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) which include introducing car parking charges at Barry’s Wyndham Street carpark, the shoppers’ car park for nearby Holton Road.

Plaid leader on the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Cllr Ian Johnson said the council must recognise that the coronavirus pandemic changes everything when it comes to local businesses.

The Vale council has said it won’t do anything until the coronavirus pandemic is over.

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Barry town centre councillor, Ian Johnson said: “I have always argued that the Vale council should do nothing to create a risk for Holton Road businesses at the heart of our town.

“That’s why I’ve spent so long opposing these car parking charges.

“Because of the coronavirus pandemic, we are now in a very different situation to when the proposals for introducing car parking charges at Wyndham Street was agreed, and businesses are under threat for a range of reasons.

“The Vale council should not introduce these charges without the agreement of the Holton Road Traders, the people’s whose livelihoods are at risk if it goes wrong.

“Quite the opposite, they should be looking to get as much funding as possible to the town centre to ensure that businesses are able to get through this tough period.”

Labour Vale council leader, Cllr Neil Moore said: “As a council, we have already categorically stated that these charges will not be introduced during the coronavirus pandemic and until the impact of covid-19 has been assessed, particularly on business.

“The process currently under way is the statutory consultation on the Traffic Orders that need to be in place, otherwise charging cannot be carried out.

“The decision to charge has already been agreed and that we are in regular contact with local traders.

“All interested parties will be notified well in advance of the implementation of any charging in car parks.”

The consultation on the Traffic Regulation Order finishes on Friday, June 19, 2020.